Revealed: Ellie Goulding, 36, is ending her ‘friendship’ with fellow Tory colleague Zac Goldsmith, 48, so she can focus on her marriage to art dealer Caspar Jopling

Ellie Goulding has ended her close friendship with Zac Goldsmith to focus on her marriage, the Mail can reveal.

The couple had bonded after splitting from their partners – and Lord Goldsmith even began making a sculpture for the singer.

But Ms Goulding, 36, wants to focus on her marriage to art dealer Caspar Jopling, 31.

The couple welcomed their first child, Arthur, in 2021. A close friend of Lord Goldsmith said the Tory colleague had been in a relationship with pop star Ms Goulding.

Ellie Goulding has ended her close friendship with Zac Goldsmith to save their marriage, the Mail can reveal

Separation: Ellie and her art dealer husband Caspar Jopling, 31, have been living separate lives for at least six months

The source added, “It happened regardless of marital issues on either side and is now finally over.”

“The relationship had nothing to do with the failure of either marriage, but Ellie wants to fix her marriage for the sake of her son and Zac is fully focused on his environmental work.”

Ms Goulding’s management had repeatedly denied that she and Lord Goldsmith were dating or that they had spoken outside of their environmental work together.

After the first meeting at the UN climate conference COP26 in Glasgow, however, a good friendship is said to have developed between them. Seven months later, they were spotted having lunch together at upscale cafe The Garden in Covent Garden.

In October 2022 they spent the evening at the same party at the exclusive private members’ club 5 Hertford Street, owned by Lord Goldsmith’s half-brother Robin Birley, and were recently spotted giggling together near the Tory colleague’s new home in west London, to which he is moving the separation from his second wife Alice Rothschild.

Last week Lord Goldsmith, 48, took to social media to share a bronze sculpture he carved for Ms Goulding, with the post: “Subjects I love, mostly love of animals or love of people… at the moment it’s just part of one.” bigger sculpture.’ this will be a tree of life’.

According to a source, he intends to give the artwork to Ms. Goulding once it’s finished.

Ms Goulding’s management had repeatedly denied that she and Mr Goldsmith were dating or that they had spoken outside of their work together to protect the environment

Second marriage: Lord Goldsmith separated from his second wife Alice Rothschild (right) after ten years of marriage.

The friendship between the two has been described as unlikely as Lord Goldsmith is the Eton educated son of the late billionaire financier Sir James Goldsmith while Ms Goulding grew up on council estates in Herefordshire.

However, the singer has made many friends in high society, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who attended her star-studded wedding to Mr Jopling at York Minster in 2019.

Lord Goldsmith was previously married to fellow environmentalist Sheherazade Bentley, but the two separated in 2010.

He resigned as minister in June after accusing Rishi Sunak of being “disinterested” in the environment.

A spokesman for Mr Goldsmith declined to comment.